Ascendant (38 page)

“
OK, I
’
ll hold it someplace safe,
and hope I never need it.
”

Kyre frowned.
“
I think you will, and
sooner than you think.
”
If
Niles Forne
’
s
plan worked, Kyre said to himself, Koren would need it soon.

“
You gave him
what
?
”
Niles Forne asked,
shocked.

“
It
’
s only four gold coins,
Forne, the Falco
’
s
can afford it.
”
Kyre
added defensively.
“
Besides,
we want Koren to go far way, right? How far do you think he would get without
money? Four gold coins is a good investment.
”

“
Hmmf. Your
reasoning
is sound, young sire, but I think your
reason
is not. You feel sorry for
this boy.
”

“
Koren didn
’
t do anything. It
’
s not his fault.
”
Kyre protested.

Forne snorted.
“
Koren is not
your friend. His own parents didn
’
t
want him. I think you forget sometimes that Duke Falco is not only your father,
he is your liege lord, and he gave you an order to get rid of Koren, so Ariana
will need to find someone else as a companion.
”

“
I know my father
’
s orders, Forne.
”

“
Knowing, and obeying, are
two different things. You need to do both.
”

That evening,
Niles Forne scribbled a letter to Duke Falco, informing him of the day
’
s events. That Koren had
been wizard-spelled to be blindingly fast with a sword was dismaying, but no
great problem. The castle had been made a less pleasant place for Koren, Kyre
had warned him he was in danger from Paedris, and Koren was now thinking maybe
he needed to run away in the future. Now all Forne needed to do is give Koren a
reason to think the time to run was
now
. But, Forne added to the letter,
“
I fear your
son, although following my instructions, is sympathetic to the Bladewell boy.
Kyre must take care, lest he become soft.
”
Softness, Forne knew, was not allowed in the Falco family.

Koren had
thought he could train with the weapons master when he wanted to, when he had
time and felt like sparring. No such luck. Paedris had worked out a schedule
with the weapons master, and Koren now had to report to the sparring ring three
times a week, in addition to his own work for Paedris. And caring for
Thunderbolt, and working in the stables to pay for the horse's keep. And the
three times a week tutoring in writing, history and mathematics that Paedris
had insisted for Koren. With the weapons master, there was training with the sword,
of course, but also Koren learned to use a shield, a pike, a spear and a bow.
The bow he liked best, he had always been deadly accurate with arrows when
hunting, and now he never missed a target, even when Koren was on horseback and
the target was also moving. The sword training was the worst. Instead of a
chance to show off, and whack the weapons master with a practice sword, the
training involved what the weapons master called Forms; endless repetitions of
swinging the sword around, and placing his feet in exactly the correct
position, and bending his elbow just so, until Koren
’
s whole body ached, and
his arms felt like they would fall off from weariness. Koren thought that,
after training with the weapons master and the man
’
s stupid Forms, that he
was going to curl up in the Form of a ball, and be stuck in that Form forever,
because he was so stiff and sore.

Between his
two jobs, caring for his horse, and combat training, Koren decided he needed to
forget about silly things like looking for a lost Cornerstone.

Koren was
cleaning up after the wizard's dinner, when he lifted a knife, and balanced it
on his finger, like the weapons master showed him to do with swords.
"Sir," he asked, "I'm training to use weapons."

"Hmm?
Yes, the weapons master tells me you are learning quickly." The weapons
master had sounded overjoyed to have such a talented and obedient student,
rather than the clumsy, arrogant royal children he was used to.

"Yes,
sir. I am doing my best, sir." And Koren had the bruises and aching muscles
to prove his efforts. "Am I going to get a real sword, sir? To protect
you?"

"Eh? Why
would I need you to protect-" Paedris sucked in a breath. Having to
remember all the lies he'd told was getting to be all too much. "Oh,
certainly, yes, of course, now that you are gaining skill, it is time for you
to get a sword of your own. Yes, yes, that is a capital idea." Paedris
hoped to venture out with the army in the summer, and would take Koren with
him. For that, the boy needed weapons of his own, weapons he was familiar with,
rather than whatever second-hand gear the army had available. Perhaps the
weapons master had, no, Paedris had a better idea. Koren was working very hard,
the boy deserved a reward. Something nice, but something that didn't seem like
an indulgence. "A sword is a very personal thing, it needs to feel right
in your hand. You should start with a short sword." The wizard saw Koren's
face fall, so he hastened to add "The short sword is carried by most
archers, as a secondary weapon. With your remarkable skill with a bow, it is
unlikely you will be called upon to fight at short range." And, if Paedris
could help it, Koren would not be called upon to fight at all, until he
mastered his immense magical power. "Tomorrow, go to Hedurmur's in Linden,
you know where the flower fountain is, near the clocktower? Hedurmur's shop is
down the street to the north a block or two, I haven't been there in some time.
Ask people when you get near, tell them you want to buy a sword from the
dwarf."

"A dwarf?
Hedurmur is a dwarf, sir?" Koren had seen dwarves around the castle, the
dwarves had an ambassador who visited the castle at least once a week from his
home just outside the main gate. And he'd seen dwarves in Crebbs Ford, a wagon
came through the village to use the bridge once a year or so, and would stop
outside the Golden Trout to sell their fine metalworking. But Koren had never
spoken to a dwarf. Twice he had gone with his father to buy items from the
dwarves, their metal plow blades lasted almost forever, his father had said,
and needed sharpening only once each season. The first time, Koren had stayed
under a tree with the family wagon while his father bargained for a good price,
the second time Koren had shyly stood beside his father, watching the dwarves with
fascination. Dwarves were, to his surprise, not as short as he expected, most
were a good four or more feet tall! It was amusing to see some of the less-tall
humans stretching themselves to full height when around the dwarves, when that
height was not much more than half a foot taller than the visitors. The few
dwarf women Koren had seen were lovely; petite with bright eyes, looking no
different than miniature human women. It was the dwarf men who were somewhat
exotic, being much more broad than a human man of the same height, and
stronger. The stories Koren had heard of dwarves being inordinately proud of
their beards appeared to be true, all the dwarf men Koren had seen had thick,
luxurious beards, some adorned with beads or even gold ringlets.

"Yes, he
is the chief of his clan here, he operates a metal shop. Take this," the
wizard pulled a gold and silver token out of this pocket and gave it to Koren,
it felt heavier than it should have, and was rather warm, "and go to
Hedurmur, tell him I want you to have a proper sword, he can put it on my
account."

"Oh, yes
sir, thank you sir!"

Koren awoke
early the next morning, eager to get his chores done and go into the city to
see the dwarf. By two glasses before noon, his horse had been exercised,
groomed  and fed, the stoves in the tower were well stocked with wood and
burning nicely, the wizard's dining area had been cleaned up after breakfast,
and the wizard himself was happily puttering away in his laboratory, sipping
from a fresh pot of coffee. Koren walked out through the main gate, greeting
the guards, feeling the token Paedris had given him laying heavy in his pocket.
Even in winter, the city of Linden was busy; wagons rolling about the streets,
the markets open although the people selling wares were bundled up against the
cold, huddling over small stoves while they waited for customers. Many of the
merchants knew Koren, and called out to him, offering roots, spices and other
such things he often bought for the wizard, but this day he only smiled and waved
back. When he arrived at the fountain in front of the clock tower, he wandered
north up several streets until he found the building that must belong to the
dwarf. The front of the building looked like the entrance to a cave, Koren
wondered how the dwarves had brought such large, heavy pieces of stone through
the city streets, until he realized the stones were fake, being made of
plaster. He ran his hand over the fake rock, which needed to be repainted in
spots, where the bare plaster showed through. Suddenly, the heavy wood door was
yanked open, and Koren was face to face with a dwarf. Or face to chest, since
the top of the dwarf's head came up not quite to Koren's chin. The dwarf
shrugged. "You humans think all dwarves live in caves, so we added this
ridiculous facade on the building. You have business here?" He asked
gruffly, looking skeptically at Koren's rough workman clothing.

"Yes, uh,
sir?" Koren said, unsure how to address the dwarf. Or man, since the dwarf
was a man, with a grey beard that draped halfway to his belt. "Lord Salva
sent me?" He pulled the token out of his pocket and held it up.

"The
wizard!" The dwarf exclaimed in surprise. "Come in, come in, kind
sir. My name's Leggard, at your service. Why, we haven't heard from Lord Salva
in many seasons. Too long!" He held the door open just wide enough for
Koren to pass through, then closed it firmly. "My old bones can't stand
this cold anymore." They entered a dark, low-ceilinged chamber that
Leggard said apologetically was also just for show, through a larger door, and
into a large, cheery room, with a cozy fire in the stone fireplace, and windows
in the ceiling. Koren thought that having windows in a roof was strange, but
they did let in a lot of light. The dwarf bowed to a figure sitting in a large
leather chair in front of the fireplace. "Hedurmur, Lord Salva's servant
to see you."

Hedurmur stood
up, he was younger than Koren expected. Perhaps very young, for Hedurmur's
beard was a mere dark shadow on his face. Although, he had lines on his face,
so was he old, or was that just the way dwarves were? Koren must have been
staring, for Hedurmur self-consciously ran a hand over his chin. "Odd
looking isn't it?" The dwarf chuckled. "My face feels naked without
it, and cold, too, bad time of year to be without a beard, I tell you.
Magnificent beard I had, until an accident at the forge three days ago, and
singed half of it off. Figured it best to shave it all off, and start
over."

"Um, um,
yes, master Hedurmur, sir. I'm Koren, sir, Lord Salva's servant." Koren's
own hand touched the wispy fuzz on his own face, before he realized what he was
doing. He checked hopefully for beard growth in a polished metal mirror every
morning, but so far he had been disappointed.

"Leggard,
get our friend Koren here a drink, we have some mead, uh, hmm," Hedurmur
considered Koren for a moment, "you are rather young, aren't you, eh? Hard
for us to tell with you humans sometimes. Leggard, put some tea on to brew, I
could use a cup myself, on this cold day. Koren, come sit by the fire while we
discuss what brings you here today."

Koren
explained about his need for a sword, and Hedurmur nodded when he heard the
wizard had suggested a short sword.

"Mmm, a
short sword, just the thing, just the thing, indeed. I've heard about you, Koren,
your sparring with the weapons master. Heard you have incredible skill with a
bow. If you'll be fighting, it will either be with a bow, at long range, or
sword for short quarters. In close combat, a short sword is both faster and
less clumsy that a broad sword. Leave the big showy metal to knight cavalry,
and to the idiot sons of royalty so they can play at being soldiers. When your
life is at stake, you want to move quick, slash and stab, slash and stab. No
room for a long sword in close combat, you get unlucky and the tip gets caught
on something, and next eyeblink you're looking at your guts spilled out onto
the ground." Hedurmur saw Koren's face go white at that thought, he'd
forgotten how young the boy was. The dwarf coughed, and sipped tea while Koren
stared into the fire for a moment, nervously slurping tea from his own cup.
"Ah, if you're ever in trouble, you'll have the master wizard by your
side, eh? Let's go find you a sword."

Hedurmur led
the way into a room that was filled with weapons, both finished and  in
rough form. The dwarf selected a half dozen finished blades, thought as minute,
and unlocked a cabinet to get out another blade, then carried them into yet
another door, which opened into a long, narrow corridor, at the end of which
was a door to a well-equipped blacksmith shop. Hedurmur walked through,
shouting greetings and orders to several dwarf blacksmiths over the din of
forges, bellows, pounding hammers, the hissing of hot metal being quenched in
barrels of oil. Coming from the hot, closed air of the shop into an open
courtyard was a shock; the cold winter air actually felt good. "Try these
swords. Feel the balance, swing them around. If you find one that's close to
what you want, I'll send for more of that type. And we can always modify a
sword, or make a new one for you."

Koren didn't
need Hedurmur's shop to change anything for him, the fourth sword he picked up
was the one. As soon as he picked it up, he knew, it simply felt right in his
hand, like it was a part of him. He was pretty sure this was the blade Hedurmur
had taken from the locked cabinet, whatever that meant.

"You're
sure, then?" Hedurmur asked, almost disappointed that he wouldn't be
creating a custom sword for the wizard's servant.

"I'm
sure, sir. Like it was made for me, it's perfect."

"Huh.
Let's see how you use it." Hedurmur strapped a blunt brass covering over
Koren's sword, and picked up a practice axe. They began sparring, slowly at
first.

Koren had
never sparred against a battleaxe, nor against an opponent shorter than he was.
Shorter, but also stronger. Instead of using the proper forms and techniques,
because Koren didn't know the proper technique for defending against an axe, he
had to fall back on his speed and instinct, or he'd be falling on his behind in
the dirt. The weapons master, Koren decided, need to teach axe fighting, and
fighting against shorter enemies. Orcs were short in stature like dwarves,
weren't they? And fought with axes.

On his third
time being knocked to the ground, Hedurmur held up a hand in surrender.
"Ah, if I still had a beard, I'd have to shave it off in shame, young
Koren. With your speed, I'd wager you could beat me, or most anyone, with that
sword. Or with a feather." The dwarf grumbled under his breath.

Koren was
sore, and his arms felt ready to fall off. "I was lucky, sir, I've never
fought an axe, or a dwarf. " He swung his right shoulder around slowly, to
loosen it. "You're very strong, sir."

"Bless
you for taking it easy on an old dwarf's ego, I'll be sore in the morning, I
wager. That's the sword for you, no question about it. I'll have it sharpened,
and we'll deliver it to the wizard's tower tomorrow. What about the grip?"
It was plain, rough brown leather. "I can make it nice, inscribe your name
on it?"